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 Toward the end of World War II, middle-aged soldier Keita is entrusted with a postcard from a comrade who is sure he will die in battle. After the war ends, Keita visits his comrade's wife Yuko and bears witness to the tragic life she has led. This year's Oscar entry from Japan finds SHINDO in top form and his 49th and reportedly last film as fresh and poignant as ever. Written by Nippon Connection Film Festival

On the Chinese side of the China-Russia-North Korea border, in the Yanbian, Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Ku Nam toils his days away as a taxi driver. When he's not working he's often found in the gambling halls. Ku Nam is now in serious debt. His wife left to work in South Korea and promised to send money back. He has yet to hear from her and he is tormented by nightmares of her having an extra-marital affair. Making matters worse, Ku Nam is fired from his job and debt-collectors take most of his severance pay. Dog seller and underworld crime boss Myung Ga offers him a deal. If Ku Nam goes to South Korea and successfully carries out a hit he will get paid $10,000 USD. Ku Nam accepts the deal and leaves for Korea on a rickety fishing boat with $500 dollars for his expenses. When Ku Nam arrives in South Korea he carefully scopes out his target for days, while also searching for his wife. When the time arrives for Ku Nam to take out his target, a string of unexpected events occurs leaving Ku Nam desperately looking for a way out. Meanwhile, the cops, Korean mafia, and the Chinese mafia all frantically search for Ku Nam.

The story of a common family living in the alleys of old Shanghai from the Cultural Revolution untill the days of reform and opening. Du Xin Sheng and Yu Pei Pei are classmates who have a deep affection for each other. Pei Pei’s grandmother, however, is a professor at the conservatory and denounced as reactionary by the Red Guards. In order to prevent the Red Guards from taking away the precious Italian cello in Pei Pei’s home, Xin Sheng goes to his father who does maintenance work at the bell tower at the Bund and they hide the cello in there. When more and more young people from the city are being sent to the countryside, the Du family’s eldest daughter Xin Fang is determined to follow as well. But when the unmarried Xin Fang gets pregnant in the countryside, the Du family is being confronted with a huge challenge.